CN105828636A - Apparatus and methods for drying and/or processing loose food products - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (1, 101) and a method for drying and/or processing loose products (106), such as food products, for example corn, flour, seeds, spices, tea and coffee, dried beans, dried or shelled fruits such as hazelnuts, dried food products such as dried mushrooms, etc., which may be subjected to the following types of processing: such as disinfestation, sanitization, pasteurization, sterilization, etc., wherein the apparatus comprises: a conveyor (2, 102, 109) for loose products (106); a processing unit (3, 103) defining a processing chamber (4, 104); means for generating radio frequency electromagnetic radiation; means for applying radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves, acting in the treatment chamber or zone (4,104) and designed to influence the bulk product (106) conveyed through the treatment chamber or zone (4, 104); a mixing device (108, 109) for loose products (106) to be treated arranged in the treatment chamber (4, 104).

Description

Apparatus and methods for drying and/or processing loose food products

technical field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for drying and/or processing loose products such as food products such as corn, flour, seeds, seasonings, tea and coffee, dried beans, dried fruits Or unshelled fruit, dry products, etc., the dried fruit or unshelled fruit are, for example, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds; the dried products are such as dried mushrooms, tobacco, herbs, etc., the above-mentioned loose products May be subjected to types of treatment such as disinsection, sanitization, pasteurization, sterilization, etc.

Background technique

Various devices for handling loose food items have been proposed so far.

In fact, if products like those listed above are not properly handled, it may happen that they are packaged with insects or microorganisms and/or, as the case may be, may not be adequately Drying, disinfestation, sanitization, pasteurization or sterilization.

Of course, these problems result in low-quality end products that are unacceptable to the end user and/or deteriorate rapidly during storage and/or are even detrimental to the user's health, and this therefore leads to the need to discard and eliminate These products.

Another defect resulting from incorrect handling of the above-mentioned products is caused by excessive loss of moisture, which may actually cause the product to deteriorate; or even in this case, to obtain a poor organoleptic quality of the product.

Furthermore, due to the undesired loss of moisture, there is also a proportional loss of weight and thus a reduced economic value of the product itself.

It has been proposed to treat food by radio frequency or microwave heating, this treatment, especially for products with high moisture content, ensures the best thermal efficiency, because in a short time (and a few seconds), the surface of the food can be obtained And the high temperature inside the food, thus eliminating the microorganisms contained in it. The high heating rate makes it possible to pasteurize the products without causing them to be cooked.

US Pat. No. 4,974,503, for example, teaches an apparatus for pasteurizing and/or sterilizing food, comprising: a processing chamber; a conveyor belt located inside the chamber; rollers for actuating the conveyor belt; and, for Mechanism for guide rollers. The products to be processed are located in containers, which are placed on a conveyor belt. Furthermore, an electrode and a counter electrode are arranged inside the processing chamber, the electrode and the counter electrode being arranged to form a station for electromagnetic radiation of the product having an electromagnetic field frequency in the range between 13 MHz and 440 MHz.

On the other hand, US Pat. No. 6,638,475 describes a method and system for applying radio frequency electromagnetic fields to products such as base agricultural products in order to prevent the presence of pathogens or spoilage agents in the agricultural products.

The applied radio frequency radiation ranges between 0.1 MHz and 1000 MHz and is of low intensity in order to establish an environment hostile to pathogens, followed by localized heating of the product itself.

However, the solutions proposed so far, as well as the apparatus and methods according to the US patents reviewed above, do not allow drying and/or processing of loose products in an efficient and uniform manner or as desired, such as Deworming, Sanitization, Pasteurization, Sterilization, etc.

Indeed, with machines of known type operating with radio frequency or microwaves, the aforementioned loose products cannot be properly dried and/or processed.

The quality of most loose product may vary significantly between one area of the mass itself and another; in one area, the loose product may be too dry; while in other areas, the loose product may still be too wet and/or not fully processed. Furthermore, due to residual humidity, in most loose products, lumps or clumping of the product may form, which prevents the product itself from moving forward in the correct manner.

Contents of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus or a novel and improved method for drying and/or treating loose food products such as deworming, sanitizing, pasteurizing and sterilizing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus or method as mentioned above which is capable of drying loose products and/or performing such processes as disinfestation, sanitization, pasteurization and sterilization in a fast, efficient and uniform manner. Bacteria, etc.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus according to claim 1 .

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method according to claim 15 .

The independent claims relate to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Description of drawings

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of an embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a device according to the invention with some parts removed;

Figure 2 is a perspective view according to some enlarged details of the preceding figure;

Figure 3 is a side perspective view of the device according to the previous figures, with some parts removed;

Figure 4 is a view from above of the device according to the previous figures, with some parts shown in section and other parts removed;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form of device according to the invention; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the device according to the preceding figure, with some parts shown in section;

Figures 7 and 8 are two cross-sectional views of certain enlarged details of two versions of the device according to the preceding figure.

In the figures, the same parts or components have the same reference numerals.

detailed description

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown an apparatus 1 for drying and/or treating loose products such as disinfestation, sanitation, pasteurization, sterilization and the like.

This plant 1 basically comprises: conveying means for conveying loose products, such as a conveyor belt 2, as described in more detail hereinafter, optionally provided with vibrating means or other means suitable for mixing the products; processing unit 3, which delimits one or more processing chambers or zones 4 passed by the conveyor belt 2; and, generating means 5, for generating radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves; and, for applying radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation and/or Or microwave means, which are not shown in the figures, act in the treatment chamber or zone 4 and are in electrical communication with the generating means 5 .

The plant 1 comprises a ventilation and conditioning unit 10 (figures 3 and 4) which provides air for handling loose products.

The means for applying electromagnetic radiation for impinging the loose products conveyed by the conveyor belt 2 through the treatment chamber 4 with electromagnetic radiation are not described in detail as they are not part of the present invention .

The conveyor belt 2 has a series of holes or openings 6, see in particular Fig. 4, which allow air flow therethrough.

According to the view shown in more detail in FIG. 2 , in the processing chamber 4 , the plane for supporting the conveyor belt 2 and the loose products being processed has a series of first openings 8 .

An air flow is sent through such first openings 8, possibly suitably humidified in order to counteract excessive drying of the product being processed.

On the sides of the conveyor belt 2, second openings 9 are provided for recovering the air flow from the first openings 8, thus forming an air circulation which can be heated and humidified according to the processing needs of the loose products.

In order to better maintain the treatment conditions, the treatment chamber 4 is provided with a wall 7 made of a thermally insulating material which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation and, as the case may be, microwaves. The material can be, for example, an expanded polymer type suitable for this purpose.

The ventilation and conditioning unit 10 providing a flow of hot and humid air comprises one or more fans, such as centrifugal fans 15, suitably actuated by motor means. In more detail, according to the views shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the ventilation and conditioning unit 10 and the treatment unit 3 are connected by a delivery line 11 and a suction line 12 to the first The opening 8 sends air and the suction line 12 sucks the air through the second opening 9 .

Between the ventilation and conditioning unit 10 and the treatment unit 3 there is an air filter 13 of the replaceable and/or washable type designed to clean the air flow for the treatment chamber 4, such a filter is located for example at on the aspiration line 12, but they could also be positioned on the delivery line 11.

The plant 1 comprises a heat exchanger 14 positioned close to the loose products to be processed so as to avoid heat loss, the heat exchanger 14 is therefore positioned below the resting plane for the conveyor belt 2 and the loose products to be processed.

Downstream of the heat exchanger 14, humidifying means (not shown) are also provided for humidifying the air for the loose product, such humidifying means may comprise, for example, injectors in fluid communication with steam generator components .

Wetting of the loose product to be treated can also first be obtained by means of water spraying means 16 arranged upstream of the treatment chamber 4 ( FIG. 2 ) or throughout the entire product treatment process (not shown).

In this case, since the water is hot and subjected to electromagnetic radiation and/or a microwave environment, the water vaporizes rapidly, providing the desired humidity level.

The ventilation and conditioning unit 10 checks the desired humidity level by means of a measuring device positioned at the inlet of the suction line 12, such as a sensor (not shown).

If the humidity level is too high, the fan 15 can draw air with a lower humidity level from the outside instead of from the processing chamber 4 . Furthermore, an air extraction device 18 ( FIG. 1 ) is provided, which is arranged directly on the treatment unit 3 . The air extraction device 18 sucks moist air from the treatment unit 3 and thus from the treatment chamber 4 and thus air with a lower humidity is sucked in from the external environment.

All or at least most of the most important regulator devices for the temperature and humidity conditions of the loose product to be processed, i.e. fans 15, heat exchangers 14, humidification devices, water spray devices 16, air extraction devices 18, etc. can be controlled by the control circuit (not shown) a control circuit designed to receive input signals from the measuring device and to control the output of the regulator device according to a suitable program.

Thus, the measuring device and the regulator device ensure the control of the temperature and humidity conditions of the product to be treated.

According to the invention, the treatment chamber 4 comprises a first zone 41 ( FIG. 4 ) in which the loose products are subjected to electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves to gradually increase the temperature and humidity according to a determined temperature/humidity-time profile.

As an example and depending on the type of product to be treated, within a time frame between 1 minute and 10 minutes, the desired temperature and humidity conditions are achieved, depending on the type of treatment (disinfestation, sanitation, pasteurization, sterilization, etc.), The temperature and humidity conditions start at room temperature and reach a temperature between 50°C and 120°C, and a relative humidity level between 10% and 95%.

The time required for the desired type of treatment to achieve the desired temperature is due to the combination of electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves with air heated by the requisite levels of radiant and thermal power.

According to the invention, the treatment chamber 4 optionally comprises a second holding zone 42, in which the loose products are kept at the temperature and humidity conditions previously achieved in the first zone 41 and for a time interval from the treatment in the first zone 41 Similar time intervals, ie for example in the range between 1 minute and 10 minutes.

In the second zone 42, maintaining the previously achieved temperature and humidity conditions can also be achieved without the use of electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves, ie the loose products can only be subjected to a hot and/or moist air flow.

The second holding zone 42 with expected temperature and humidity conditions may be very important in order to obtain the desired disinfestation, sanitation, pasteurization, sterilization effect, thereby ensuring the killing of all infested species and/or bacteria and/or microorganisms Etc., because, where necessary, actually prolonging the specified time under the expected temperature and humidity conditions ensures that 100% of the aforementioned breeding species and/or bacteria and/or microorganisms are killed.

Another important feature of this plant 1 is the inclusion of mixing means for the loose products to be processed.

It should be noted that the heating provided by electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves and hot air depends on the orientation and specific position of the products themselves in the batch being processed, and therefore they must be mixed as much as possible in order to obtain transfer on the conveyor belt 2 Uniform heating and moistening of all loose products.

The mixing device may comprise a mixer arm (not shown) arranged in the processing chamber 4 or a vibration device (not shown) applied to the conveyor belt 2 or a deflector device (not shown) arranged above the conveyor belt 2 , or a flow of heated air with a suitable flow rate and pressure level across the entire conveyor belt 2 to allow thorough mixing of the loose products to be treated; moreover, a combination of one or more of the above devices may be provided.

5 to 8 show another variant of the device according to the invention, indicated generally at 101 .

According to this variant, the plant 101 also basically comprises: a device 102 for transporting loose products; a unit 103 for processing loose products; a zone 104 for processing loose products; a unit for generating radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves zone 105; and, means (not shown) for applying radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves.

According to a variant shown in FIG. 6 , the conveying means comprise a tube, for example a vertically arranged cylindrical tube 102 , in which the loose products, shown here at 106 , move downwards due to gravity or by other mechanical conveying systems. .

The cylindrical tube 102 is made of a thermally insulating material and is transparent to electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves and thus also constitutes the treatment zone or chamber 104 .

Loose product 106 is introduced from above through suitable introduction means (not shown), such as a funnel, and exits from the lower part of the pipe through a flow regulating device 107, such as a rotary valve, which regulates the fall and flow of loose product 106. So forward moving velocity or volume or mass flow rate.

In the variant shown in FIG. 7 , it is possible to provide inclined baffles 108 which have the function of mixing means for the loose product 106 , since they prevent the loose product 106 itself from being compressed and forming lumps.

In the variant shown in FIG. 8 , the mixing function of the loose product 106 is realized by means of a screw or Archimedes screw 109 which rotates according to the arrow R and thus enables the loose product 106 to be controlled. down and forward.

Moreover, according to this variant of the invention, the device 101 may comprise a ventilation and conditioning unit 10 for supplying a hot and humid air flow, which is introduced from below the duct 102 Into the tube 102 and rises upward in counter flow relative to the forward movement of the product 106, this flow may also act as a means of mixing. According to another variant of the invention, since the tubes 102 are relatively small and well insulated, electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves are only sufficient to reach the temperature levels required for a particular type of treatment and therefore the device 101 can also be without the ventilation and conditioning unit 10 . In terms of the moisture level to be achieved, the moisture level emitted by the loose product 106 itself may be sufficient, since the tube 102 represents a sufficiently confined area from which moisture can never come out.

Furthermore, the wetting of the loose products 106 to be treated can also be achieved mainly by means of sprinklers (not shown), arranged close to the inlet of the pipe 102 . Also in this variant of the invention, the tube 102, i.e. the processing chamber 104, comprises a first zone 141 (FIG. 6) in which the loose products are subjected to electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves so that according to a determined temperature/humidity-time profile , Gradually increase the temperature and humidity.

In addition, the tube 102 or processing chamber 104 optionally includes a second holding zone 142, wherein the loose products 106 are maintained at the temperature and humidity conditions previously achieved in the first zone 141 and for a time similar to the treatment of the first zone 141 and, in this variation of the present invention, this second holding area 142 may be free of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves.

The method according to the invention for drying and sanitizing loose products provides: conveying the loose products in at least one treatment chamber or zone such as chamber 4, 104, etc. The application of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and/or microwaves to a chamber or zone affecting loose product.

In the treatment chamber and in addition to the step of applying electromagnetic radiation, a step of heating the loose product by means of hot air and a wetting step are provided.

During the heating and moistening step of the loose product, a mixing step of the loose product is also provided in order to obtain uniform heating and moistening of all the loose product.

It will be appreciated that in the method and apparatus according to the present invention, electromagnetic radiation, heated air and steam are used synergistically to treat loose food products.

Furthermore, the optional possibility of having a second holding zone (where the loose products are kept at the previously achieved temperature and humidity conditions) ensures that, if required, all kinds of germs and/or bacteria and/or Microorganisms etc. are all killed.

Modifications and variations are possible within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims (20)

1. the equipment (1 being used for being dried and/or process bulk products (106), 101), the all food in this way of described bulk products (106), such as Semen Maydis, flour, plant subclass, flavouring agent, tea and coffee, the bean class of drying, drying or the fruit shelled, dry products class etc., described drying or the fruit e.g. Semen coryli heterophyllae shelled, Semen arachidis hypogaeae, Semen Armeniacae Amarum etc., described dry products class is all is dried mushroom in this way, Nicotiana tabacum L., medical herbs etc., the process that described bulk products (106) can suffer from is for Types Below: such as deinsectization, sanitized, pasteurization, sterilizing etc., described equipment includes:

At least one transporter (2,102,109) of described bulk products (106)；

At least one processing unit (3,103), it limits at least one and processes chamber or district (4,104)；

For producing the device (5,105) of RF electromagnetic radiation；

For applying the device of RF electromagnetic radiation and/or microwave, it acts in described process chamber or district (4,104), with described generating apparatus telecommunication, and be designed to engage with by described transporter (2,102,109) conveying by described at least one process chamber or the described bulk products of district (4,104)；

It is characterized in that, described equipment includes

Mixing arrangement (108,109), it is used for being arranged in bulk products (106) pending at least one process chamber described or district (4,104).

Equipment the most according to claim 1, it is characterised in that the described mixing arrangement for pending bulk products includes: be arranged in the blender arm in described process chamber (4)；Or it is applied to the vibrating device on described transporter (2)；Or it is arranged in the deflector device of described transporter (2) top；Or for producing the device of air stream, described air stream has suitable flow rate and stress level, product (106) pending described in described impact of air currents；Or one or more combination in each described device；Or sloping baffle (108)；Or spiral or Archimedian screw (109).

Equipment the most according to claim 1 and 2, it is characterised in that including: ventilate and regulate unit (10), its being fed to heat in described process chamber or district (4,104) with malaria stream.

4. according to the equipment described in previous claim, it is characterised in that described ventilation and regulation unit (10) include the adjusting means (15,16,18) of the temperature and humidity with humid air for regulating described heat.

5. according to the equipment described in previous claim, it is characterized in that, including: at least one control unit, it for the temperature and humidity signal received from measurement apparatus input and controls described adjusting means during applying described electromagnetic radiation to described bulk products (106).

6., according to the equipment described in claim 4 or 5, it is characterised in that described adjuster device includes at least one fan (15), described at least one fan (15) for being fed into whole described bulk products (106) by hot-air.

7. according to equipment in any one of the preceding claims wherein, it is characterized in that, described at least one transporter (2) has runs through opening (6), and wherein, in described chamber (4), be provided with the first opening (8), and heat and malaria flowed through described opening (6,8).

8. according to equipment in any one of the preceding claims wherein, it is characterised in that in described chamber (4), being provided with the second opening (9), air stream is sucked by described second opening (9).

9. according to the equipment described in previous claim, it is characterised in that including: at least one fan (15), the intake of described fan (15) and described second opening (9) communication.

10. according to the equipment according to any one of aforementioned claim 4 to 9, it is characterised in that described adjusting means includes at least one steam distribution member or for water is sprayed on the device (16) of described bulk products (106).

11. according to the equipment described in previous claim, it is characterised in that steam is fed in the air delivered by described at least one fan (15) by least one steam distribution member described.

12. according to equipment in any one of the preceding claims wherein, it is characterized in that, including: water injector (16), it is arranged in described process chamber (4,104) upstream with the most moistening pending described bulk products (106).

13. according to equipment in any one of the preceding claims wherein, it is characterized in that, described chamber (4,104) includes the firstth district (41,141), in described firstth district (41,141), described bulk products (106) stands electromagnetic radiation and/or microwave, thus according to the temperature/humidity-time graph determined, little by little raise temperature and humidity.

14. according to the equipment described in previous claim, it is characterized in that, described chamber (4,104) includes the second holding area (42,142), in described second holding area (42,142), the temperature and humidity condition that described bulk products (106) realizes in described firstth district (41,141) before remaining essentially in, and the time kept and the process time similarity in described firstth district (41,141).

15. 1 kinds of methods being used for being dried and/or process bulk products (106), the all food in this way of described bulk products (106), such as Semen Maydis, flour, kind subclass, flavouring agent, tea and coffee, the beans of drying, drying or the fruit shelled, dry products class etc., described drying or the fruit e.g. Semen coryli heterophyllae shelled, Semen arachidis hypogaeae, Semen Armeniacae Amarum etc.；The mushroom of all dryings in this way of described dry products class, Nicotiana tabacum L., medical herbs etc., the process that described bulk products (106) can suffer from is for Types Below: such as deinsectization, sanitized, pasteurization, sterilizing etc., said method comprising the steps of:

Described bulk products is sent at least one and processes chamber or district (4,104)；

RF electromagnetic radiation or microwave is applied to engage described bulk products (106) at least one process chamber described or district (4,104)；

It is characterized in that, said method comprising the steps of: make described bulk products (106) mixing that be arranged at least one process chamber described or district (4,104), pending.

16. according to the method described in previous claim, it is characterised in that including: by heat and/or malaria stream be ejected in described process chamber or district (4,104).

17. according to the method described in claim 15 or 16, it is characterised in that include aspirating heat from described process chamber or district (4,104) and/or malaria stream.

18. according to the method described in previous claim, it is characterized in that, including: measure the temperature of air and/or humidity sucked by described process chamber or district (4,104) and during the step of described applying electromagnetic radiation and/or microwave the temperature of the air that regulation is expelled in described process chamber or district (4,104) and/or humidity.

19. according to the method described in previous claim, it is characterized in that, regulate the described step of the humidity in described process chamber or district (4,104) and be included in and make described bulk products (106) enter into bulk products (106) upper feeding steam or water spray described in the forward direction in described process chamber or district (4,104).

20. according to the method according to any one of claim 15 to 19, it is characterized in that, including: that apply electromagnetic radiation and/or microwave and heat to described bulk products (106) and/or malaria described step can determine the temperature of about 50 DEG C to about 120 DEG C, the relative humidity of about 10% to about 95%, and the time of the most about 1 minute to about 10 minutes.